Fire Rescue warns of home heating risks

Jeremy Robshaw, Public Information Officer with St. Johns County Fire Rescue, reminds Historic City News readers that, as the temperature outside drops, St. Johns County families take to the indoors to keep safe and warm; they may not realize that turning up the heat can increase the risk of home heating fires.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly half of all home-heating fires occur during the winter months. The latest research shows that heating equipment was involved in 62,200 reported U.S. home structure fires in 2009, with associated losses of 670 civilian deaths, 1,550 civilian injuries, and $909 million in direct property damage.

While these numbers are frightening, nearly all of these fires are preventable.

St. Johns County Fire Rescue recommends some simple home heating tips that can help keep our community warm – and safe – this winter.

• Space heaters need space. Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.

• Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.

• Plug power cords only into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.

• Inspect for cracked, frayed or broken plugs or loose connections. Replace before using.

• Have your chimney inspected each year and cleaned if necessary.

• Use a sturdy fireplace screen.

• Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose of ashes in a metal container.

• Never use an oven to heat your home.

• Install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home — when one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month.